USS Kittiwake Snorkeling

The 16th most popular snorkel dive spot in Grand Cayman.

Thursday 8 February 2018 06:55 GMT

North of Georgetown and offshore of Cemetary Beach, the snorkelling at USS Kittiwake allows exploring a shallow wreck. The USS Kittiwake was a submarine rescue ship that was intentionally sunk in 2011 to form an artificial reef. It is located will offshore of Seven Mile Beach in 65 foot deep water, but the superstructure comes within 15 feet of the surface. The Kittiwake Shipwreck And Artificial Reef is part of a marine park and can only be accessed by boat that is part of a licensed tour.

After a long day of snorkeling at USS Kittiwake, you might want to grab a refreshing drink at Macabuca Tiki Bar behind the Cracked Conch Restaurant, which is located just north of the Cayman Turtle Centre.

To reach the snorkeling on Grand Cayman Island by air, you will fly into the Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM). There are regular flights from Houston, Dallas and Miami. Once on Grand Cayman Island, the snorkeling dive sites are easily accessed by renting either a scooter or jeep, both of which are common means of transportation on the island. There is also a public bus that covers most regions of the island. When departing the Cayman Islands, there is a departure tax of $37.50USD. This tax may be included in the airline ticket, but you will want to verify in advance.

The USS Kittiwake snorkeling dive site is located south of the Turtle Reef dive site at the northern end of Seven Mile Beach.

Overall, USS Kittiwake is the 16th most popular snorkel dive spot of all 25 snorkeling dives in Grand Cayman. Several of the better snorkeling spots are nearby USS Kittiwake including Cemetery Reef and Marriott Beach.